Porous structure treatment system

Abstract

A porous material injection system for injecting protective material into a porous material. The porous material injection system may include an injection hood formed from a hood structure having a top plate, first and second cavities. During use, a vacuum may be formed in the first cavity to attach the injection hood to the porous material, and a protective material may be injected through a plurality of orifices in the second cavity and into the porous material. In another embodiment, the injection hood may be attached to a porous material with a mechanical connector and the protective material may be injected through a plurality of orifices into the porous material.

1 . A porous material injection system hood, comprising: 
 a hood structure having a top plate and at least one side wall extending out of a plane of the top plate and forming a first cavity;    a sealing rib extending from the hood structure of the top plate and forming a second cavity in the hood structure and within the first cavity;    a plurality of injection ports extending through the top plate of the hood structure and positioned in the second cavity;    a fluid transport conduit coupled to the plurality of injection ports in the second cavity;    a first seal coupled to the at least one side wall and configured to seal the first cavity to a surface of a porous material to be injected with a protective material; and    a second seal coupled to the sealing rib forming the second cavity and configured to seal the second cavity to the surface of the porous material to be injected with a protective material.    
   
   
       2 . The porous material injection system hood of  claim 1 , further comprising an outer seal support rib positioned in close proximity to the at least one side wall and extending from the top plate to support the first seal such that the first seal fits between the seal support rib and the at least one side wall.  
   
   
       3 . The porous material injection system hood of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing rib is formed from an outer sealing rib and an inner sealing rib separated a distance sufficient to position the second seal between the outer sealing rib and the inner sealing rib.  
   
   
       4 . The porous material injection system hood of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one vacuum system orifice positioned in the top plate and in the second cavity and adapted to be coupled to a vacuum system.  
   
   
       5 . The porous material injection system hood of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one vacuum system orifice positioned in the top plate and in the first cavity and adapted to be coupled to a vacuum system.  
   
   
       6 . The porous material injection system hood of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second seals are formed from closed cell neoprene foam.  
   
   
       7 . The porous material injection system hood of  claim 1 , further comprising an outer seal support rib positioned in close proximity to the at least one side wall and extending from the top plate to support the first seal such that the first seal fits between the outer seal support rib and the at least one side wall.  
   
   
       8 . The porous material injection system of  claim 1 , further comprising a relief valve coupled to the second cavity to enable injection fluids to be removed from the surface of the porous material.  
   
   
       9 . A porous material injection system hood, comprising: 
 a hood structure having a top plate and at least one side wall extending out of a plane of the top plate and forming a first cavity;    a plurality of injection ports extending through the top plate of the hood structure and positioned in the second cavity;    a first seal coupled to the at least one side wall and configured to seal the first cavity to a surface of a porous material to be injected with a protective material; and    a connector adapted to attach the hood structure to a porous material to inject a protective material into the porous material.    
   
   
       10 . The porous material injection system hood of  claim 9 , further comprising a sealing rib extending from the hood structure of the top plate and forming a second cavity in the hood structure and within the first cavity and a second seal coupled to the sealing rib forming the second cavity and configured to seal the second cavity to the surface of the porous material to be injected with a protective material.  
   
   
       11 . The porous material injection system hood of  claim 10 , wherein the sealing rib is formed from an outer sealing rib and an inner sealing rib separated a distance sufficient to position the second seal between the outer sealing rib and the inner sealing rib.  
   
   
       12 . The porous material injection system hood of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one vacuum system orifice positioned in the top plate and in the second cavity and adapted to be coupled to a vacuum system.  
   
   
       13 . The porous material injection system hood of  claim 9 , further comprising an outer seal support rib positioned in close proximity to the at least one side wall and extending from the top plate to support the first seal such that the first seal fits between the outer seal support rib and the at least one side wall.  
   
   
       14 . The porous material injection system hood of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one vacuum system orifice positioned in the top plate and in the first cavity and adapted to be coupled to a vacuum system.  
   
   
       15 . The porous material injection system hood of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second seals are formed from closed cell neoprene foam.  
   
   
       16 . The porous material injection system of  claim 9 , further comprising a relief valve coupled to the second cavity to enable injection fluids to be removed from the surface of the porous material.  
   
   
       17 . A porous material injection system, comprising: 
 an injection hood, comprising: 
 a hood structure having a top plate and at least one side wall extending out of a plane of the top plate and forming a first cavity;  
 a plurality of injection ports extending through the top plate of the hood structure and positioned in the first cavity;  
 at least one vacuum hole extending through the top plate of the hood structure and positioned in the first cavity;  
 a fluid transport conduit coupled to the plurality of injection ports in the second cavity;  
 a first seal coupled to the at least one side wall and configured to seal the first cavity to a surface of a porous material to be injected with a protective material; and  
   a compressed air source coupled to the fluid transport pump;    a fluid pump in communication with the compressed air source;    a vacuum source coupled to the at least one vacuum hole; and    a storage tank in communication with the fluid pump for supplying a protective material to the injection hood.    
   
   
       18 . The porous material injection system of  claim 17 , further comprising a sealing rib extending from the hood structure of the top plate and forming a second cavity in the hood structure and within the first cavity and a second seal coupled to the sealing rib forming the second cavity and configured to seal the second cavity to the surface of the porous material to be injected with a protective material.  
   
   
       19 . The porous material injection system of  claim 18 , further comprising a movable support system having sufficient storage capacity to support the storage tank, the vacuum source, the fluid pump, the compressed air source, and the injection hood.  
   
   
       20 . The porous material injection system of  claim 19 , wherein the movable support system comprises a trailer with a plurality of wheels.  
   
   
       21 . The porous material injection system of  claim 19 , wherein the movable support system comprises a self-propelled vehicle.  
   
   
       22 . The porous material injection system of  claim 19 , wherein the injection hood is positioned proximate to a lower surface of the movable support system to enable the injection hood to be lowered from the movable support system and placed in contact with a porous material to be treated.  
   
   
       23 . The porous material injection system of  claim 22 , further comprising a hydraulic actuation system coupled to the injection hood and to the trailer for placing the injection hood in contact with a porous material to be treated.  
   
   
       24 . The porous material injection system of  claim 18 , wherein the sealing rib is formed from an outer sealing rib and an inner sealing rib separated a distance sufficient to position the second seal between the outer sealing rib and the inner sealing rib.  
   
   
       25 . The porous material injection system of  claim 18 , further comprising at least one vacuum system orifice positioned in the top plate and in the second cavity and adapted to be coupled to a vacuum system.  
   
   
       26 . The porous material injection system of  claim 17 , further comprising an outer seal support rib positioned in close proximity to the at least one side wall and extending from the top plate to support the first seal such that the first seal fits between the seal support rib and the at least one side wall.  
   
   
       27 . The porous material injection system of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second seals are formed from closed cell neoprene foam.  
   
   
       28 . The porous material injection system of  claim 17 , further comprising a carbon filter coupled in line with the storage tank to filter excess protective fluids collected from a surface of the porous material.  
   
   
       29 . A method of treating a porous material, comprising: 
 attaching an injection hood to a porous material, wherein the injection hood comprises: 
 a hood structure having a top plate and at least one side wall extending out of a plane of the top plate and forming a first cavity;  
 a plurality of injection ports extending through the top plate of the hood structure and positioned in the first cavity;  
 at least one vacuum hole extending through the top plate of the hood structure and positioned in the first cavity;  
 a fluid transport conduit coupled to the plurality of injection ports in the second cavity;  
 a first seal coupled to the at least one side wall and configured to seal the first cavity to a surface of a porous material to be injected with a protective material;  
   passing a protective material through a pump;    injecting the protective material through the plurality of injection ports and into the porous material.    
   
   
       30 . The method of treating a porous material of  claim 29 , wherein attaching the injection hood to a porous material comprises using a mechanical connector to attach the injection hood to a porous material.  
   
   
       31 . The method of treating a porous material of  claim 29 , wherein attaching an injection hood to a porous material comprises attaching an injection hood having a sealing rib extending from the hood structure of the top plate and forming a second cavity in the hood structure and within the first cavity and having a second seal coupled to the sealing rib forming the second cavity and configured to seal the second cavity to the surface of the porous material to be injected with a protective material.  
   
   
       32 . The method of treating a porous material of  claim 31 , wherein attaching an injection hood to a porous material comprises placing the injection hood in contact with the porous material such that the first and second seals contact the porous material and forming a vacuum in the first cavity.  
   
   
       33 . The method of treating a porous material of  claim 31 , wherein injecting the protective material through the plurality of injection ports and into the porous material comprises injecting the protective material into the second cavity.  
   
   
       34 . The method of treating a porous material of  claim 29 , wherein injecting the protective material through the plurality of injection ports and into the porous material comprises injecting the protective material at a pressure of between about 90 pounds per square inch and about 120 pounds per square inch.  
   
   
       35 . The method of treating a porous material of  claim 29 , wherein injecting the protective material through the plurality of injection ports and into the porous material comprises injecting a protective material containing a dye usable to visually track progression of the protective material through the porous material.  
   
   
       36 . The method of treating a porous material of  claim 29 , further comprising withdrawing excess protective material from an outer surface of the porous material with a vacuum and depositing the material in a storage tank.  
   
   
       37 . The method of treating a porous material of  claim 35 , further comprises passing the protective material through a carbon filter before being deposited into a storage tank.  
   
   
       38 . The method of treating a porous material of  claim 29 , wherein injecting the protective material through the plurality of injection ports and into the porous material comprises injecting a protective material that is capable of being injected into a porous material at a pressure range of between about 90 pounds per square inch and about 120 pounds per square inch without producing foam in an amount that impedes uptake of the protective material into the porous material and operation of the injection hood.  
   
   
       39 . The method of treating a porous material of  claim 29 , wherein injecting the protective material through the plurality of injection ports and into the porous material comprises injecting a protective material having a potassium base without a surfactant.